Formal and Informal Assessment of Student Learning
Name: Steve Cannici
II. Description of Learning Goals
A. Informal Assessment
Students partook in a review session leading up to a test that would be given to them later that week
By the end, students should be able to:
Construct names of compounds w/o needing flow chart as a guide when given the chemical formula
Record chemical formulas w/o the use of a flow chart when given the name
Understand the logical sequencing of the Periodic Table and apply it as a tool, specifically for figuring charges on ion's
Are these objectives at a variety of cognitive levels? They seem to be at the "apply" level only.
B. Formal Assessment
The test that they took following the review session from earlier in the week
Same objectives as above
III. Assessments
A. Description of Informal Assessment
It was a Jeopardy! game that split the class into two teams. One member from a team would choose a category (four categories) and had a specific amount of time to answer the question. The time limit was established based on how long it took a student to use the flow chart. The idea was for them to be able to do it without the flow chart, so the time limit was short enough that if a student tried using the flowchart to construct the answer for a molecular formula or chemical name then the time would be up. As the questions increased in value, the difficulty of the questions also increased. If the question was not answered or answered incorrectly then the question would pass to the next participant from the other team. The question would keep on getting passed until someone got it right and scored the points for that team.
It was a 30 question test which included 10 questions from each of the three topics covered in the Jeopardy! game. It took them about half an hour to complete the test. They were not allowed to use their flow charts. Each question was worth one point and there was no partial credit given. The test was mainly short answer, it included few multiple choice questions. My reasoning for this is because most of our in class practice was of a short answer style. Now, is there any reason there for me to not use more multiple choice questions; no. But, there is reason there that tells me they should sufficiently be prepared to answer these questions in a short answer format. It was a unit test, so it weighed heavily on their grade. Since I am using a points based system, it was factored in as being worth 100 points. The score will be recorded and factored into the final grade.
I thought the test went fairly well. It was clear that some students had gone home and started reviewing how to use the flow chart and were a little more prepared for the test that day. Corrections were made on the students tests so that they could see where they went wrong when formulating their compounds name or formula.
The class that these assessments derive from is a class called "Chemistry Enhancement" which is for low level students. There are 14 students; 12 girls and 2 boys, 3 with IEP's. The course focuses not so much on chemical concepts as it does the mathematical principles behind the chemistry. The course lasts only half of the year (one semester). The combination of this course and another course, which focuses on chemical concepts, can combine for 3 credits of college prep level chemistry. The primary reason students take this course is because they plan on applying to a 4 year school but need the chemistry to be able to do so. I selected this class' work because I feel that they have the largest range of learners. Some of the students try really hard in that class, yet they still can't grasp some of the concepts. Some are trying really hard and are doing well with the material. Others barely try at all, are easily acing it, and should probably be moved up to the next level. And, lastly, there are others that are barely trying and will most likely fail at the end of the semester. I feel that this mix of ability levels and desire to learn helps represent the two extreme sides of the spectrum that is composed of all learners potential and, therefore, should give me an excellent variety when analyzing the assessment data.
This test seems to focus on tasks that require little chemical knowledge beyond memorizing some rules. I don't understand the value of teaching chemistry concepts separated from these technical details if the technical topics are not going to be related to the concepts.
B. Analysis of Informal Assessment
This activity went really well for multiple reasons. The first is that it motivated the students. There was that level of competition that was involved which triggered that competitive fire inside of their stomachs. It wasn't so competitive that they wanted to kill each other at the end, but it certainly kept things interesting enough so that kids were trying to solve each answer to the best of their ability. Another reason that this activity went really well was that I got a real good sense of how well each student knew certain topics. They all got multiple chances to answer each type of question and, based on how long it took them to answer and how confident they seemed to do with it, I was able to tell if they had been doing their studying. Along with the fact that we had plenty of time in class to practice the material and each type of example, with and without the flow chart, and if they had trouble answering the problems, this tells me that they are most likely not putting in the time at home. Most of the students who do not try as hard in this class were the ones that could not get answers out in time.
Sometimes multiple passes were required for an individual question (students displayed a poor understanding of concept). If multiple passes are taking place then there is clearly something wrong. The question had been on the board for some time and kids had plenty of opportunity to use the flow chart to put together the name or the formula. If this happened a short "mini lesson" would be given to go over why the answer was what it was after the question was correctly answered. If they have all that time and still could not produce the correct answer than they are using their flow charts wrong. This would be a red flag for me as something to bring to the class' attention and take advantage of a teachable moment with one of these quick "mini lessons". This was done so that students could self assess and learn from others mistakes. It was used primarily as a reinforcer to the ideas that had not yet been set in concrete inside of their heads. They could use this to help determine what they still needed to work on and what they had to do to get there.
The student's had even less time to answer the questions about the periodic table. The periodic table is a much quicker tool than the flow chart and there are no directions written on the periodic table which describe how to use it. Knowing how to use the periodic table is simple memorization and pattern recognition. Therefore, not as much time should be needed to be able to decipher your answer with a quick glance at the table. Some students had a difficult time with using the periodic table as a tool and recognizing the patterns that exist within that tool. Therefore, most had problems remembering how to use it and what it can do for you. The periodic table is somewhat like the chemist's bible (depending on which type of chemist you talk to), so students should never be deprived of having that tool. They should have to memorize how to use it, but not be deprived of it. So the student's could use the periodic table hanging on the wall, but if they had not yet learned how to use it than it was pretty much worthless to them. Can't the trends in the periodic table be related to what students have previously learned in their conceptual chemistry course? Do you think memorizing periodic table facts motivates these (at risk) students to like chemistry?
The Jeopardy! game was a class long activity that all students participated in orally. I did not collect any individual students' work after this activity was completed. This activity was designed to benefit the students more than me as the teacher. I could tell when they were having difficulties with a certain type of problem and took advantage in the moment to show them exactly what was going wrong and how to fix it. The class can than hopefully take that information and use it as a self-assessment tool to help guide their studying for the test that was to follow in the next class period. As far as this tool being used for myself, I used it to design the following class meetings' test. I would make note of the ones they had more difficulty with and put only few types of them on the test (i.e. names with roman numerals). I also put very few of the ones that they had no problems with (i.e. NaCl or sodium chloride, table salt). I mostly put questions that were a medium difficulty so as to challenge them but not make them think that it is impossible. This helps out with the wide range of learners that are in the class, it assesses all levels of students. Unless you include a video or audio recording of game, then you should have chosen another assessment based on the assignment description.
C. Analysis of Formal Assessment
class average: 18.29
range: 10-24
class median: 20 / 30 (??)
lower median: 15
upper median: 21
The four students whose work I have selected were strategically chosen based on the description given in the class context of types of ability levels matched up with desire to learn the material, one person from each type of pairing.
First is Ashley (24/30), she doesn't need to put forth a ton effort towards the class but she is easily holding an A for the year and had minimal problems with the test; she scored best in the class. Ashley's assessment shows that she is having trouble identifying when to use parenthesis and when not to use parenthesis. She also unnecessarily used roman numerals a few times and does not quite display that she know the meaning of the roman numeral. However, Ashley shows a complete understanding of how to name molecular compounds and how to correctly use the prefixes as she only got one question of that type wrong. She also knows how to name the ionic compounds and balance their charges to create the formula.
Next is April (22/30). April tries really hard and is able to hold a solid B/B+ in this course. Her work ethic gets her through and she is an honor roll student for her track level. Again, April seems to have problems identifying what the roman numeral is trying to tell her and, therefore, can not handle correctly naming some ionic compounds. And, just as Ashley did, she is having problems knowing when to use parenthesis and when not to use parenthesis. April had no problem naming and writing formulas for ionic compounds that did not contain a roman numeral. She seemed to struggle a bit with molecular compounds and usage of the prefixes.
Third is Areli (14/30). Areli is a very pleasant student to work with because she works like there's no tomorrow. She very much wants to succeed in this class and she shows it by asking many questions and by putting her mind to it. But, try as she might, Areli has problems grasping many of the concepts that are covered in the class. She clearly is not familiar with her polyatomic ion chart because many polyatomic ions went unrecognized with an incorrect name (they were allowed to use their polyatomic ion charts for this test). This also shows since she has zero use of parenthesis in the ionic compounds which require the use of such. Also, no attempt at all was made to use roman numerals in any that may have needed them. Areli was able to get the most basic examples that we went over in class about 100,000 times, but no application of any of the concepts learned was applied to any new or unfamiliar situations. If she had her flow chart with her it probably wouldn't have improved her grade too much since it seems she has no idea how to tell the difference between ionic and molecular compounds, which is essential to the use of the flow chart. She has trouble grasping many of the concepts we go over. So what do Areli's difficulties tell you about how you taught the concepts she did not demonstrate? If she's truly trying, why is her performance level so low?
Finally there is Shannon (10/30). Shannon does not put much effort into this class. She made no effort to use parentheses in the proper places and does not show any understanding of how to use the roman numerals. She is not familiar with her polyatomic ion chart and does not display that she can balance the charges of an ionic compound. However, she does seem to be able to grasp the concept of naming molecular compounds using the prefixes and identifying when she needs to use the prefixes. Shannon scored a perfect 40 out of 40 on her significant figures quiz the week following this assessment. She has proven to me that she can do well in this class with some effort. It is tough to get her motivated.
Breakdown of Scores by Seating
comparison of left room sitters to right room sitters: left room sitters
average: 20.57
range: 17-24
median: 20
upper median: 23
lower median: 18
The room that this class takes place in has a very nice setup. All desks in the room two seater lab style desks. The desks are arranged in a U shape with the opening of the U facing the white board. There is a divide right in the middle, or the bottom of the U, which separates the right side from the left side. Inside of the U are four two seater lab benches facing the front. There are 7 students that sit on the left side vs. 7 students who sit on the right side. It is clear that students who sit on the left side of the room are higher achieving than those sitting on the right side of the room. I suspect there could be several reasons for this divide. The students who sit on the left side of the room are the triers. They support each other, they believe in themselves, and they reap the benefits. The students who sit on the right side of the room are the total polar opposites. They don't believe in themselves over on the right side of the room. They have created a support group for themselves, just as the left side has, but their support group confirms for each other that they can not succeed, so they do not try. I plan on creating a union of the two groups, by sitting left roomers and right roomers in every other seat. But, it is a double edged sword. By separating the left roomers from each other, in an attempt to divide the right roomers and disrupt their supports, I could disturb the strong support system that they have with each other and actually end up bringing them down. To resolve this problem, I propose a two by two seating. What I mean by that is two people from the left side get to remain together, then next to them will be two people from the right side, followed by two more from the left, and so on. This will allow each student to be next to a right roomer and a left roomer (excluding the students sitting on the ends). Hopefully, the right roomers will be able to take advantage of being next to a left roomer, and the left roomers will still be able to be next to somebody that they work well with.
As their teacher, you should focus on how to help everyone learn. You analysis indicates that you've thought about what is happening in class and why. By allowing the "triers" to sit together all the time you are tacitly allowing the class to separate into ability groups. You should act based on your judgement of how you want your learning environment to be.
V. Commentary / Reflection
A. Reflections from Informal Assessment
I was extremely pleased with the way that the informal assessment shaped out. I felt that students, for the most part, had a good grasp on the concepts. As noted earlier, if students took multiple passes to answer a particular type of question, I would attempt to take advantage of those "teachable moments". It was no coincidence that this happened multiple times on the same two types of questions, roman numerals and using parenthesis. This tells me that modifications need to be made to my method of instruction, or that the information I am communicating to them should be reviewed and possibly expanded upon. After the class and I completed this review, the students went home and should have spent extra time on the problems that took many passes. For the next time, I could mention to them that they should spend more time on x, y, and z because we had a lot of problems with it in the class. They came in the next class and took the test; next time I do this activity, I will do it several classes in advance so we can spend extra time practicing the types of problems that they struggled with.
B. Reflections from Formal Assessment
I would absolutely take the opportunity to re-do that test if I could. There are multiple things I know I would change. First of all, I would create a wider array of questions. The test was mostly short answer which pushed their mental capabilities to the edge. I would absolutely add many more multiple choice questions to the test for multiple reasons. First, it would give the students options and possibly trigger a memory in their mind which they could apply to other questions such as the short answer. Also, it would save me much more time because grading multiple choice is fast and efficient. On top of that, I would also make the test longer. It took me so long to create that test and in the end it took them only about half an hour to take it. The period was 85 minutes long and I had nothing else planned to do with them. I realize now how long it can take to plan, tweak, and completely assess the students with a fully loaded assessment.
I would think that creating a multiple choice version of this test would take a long time because you would have to create convincing distractors.
VI. Conclusions
I have learned that assessment is the key tool that teachers must know and master to have any chance at determining if their teaching is effective or not. Without proper assessments the teacher has no way of knowing what has been effective, what the students know, and what misconceptions may still be floating around out in the classroom. In my opinion, assessment processes should be broken down into parts. First, the informal assessment to obtain a "preliminary" idea of what concepts have been correctly delivered and what still needs to be worked on. Next, a restructuring or new method must be taken to solidify misconceptions or ideas that have not yet taken shape for the students, determined from the informal assessment. Finally, the formal assessment is given, when the teacher knows that the class is ready. These are invaluable tools that any good teacher will use frequently and to the best of his/her ability. Solid assessments along with strong modifications or adjustments to lesson plans based off of those assessments are a keystone in developing good curriculums and great lesson plans that students will learn from and be engaged in.
Formal and Informal Assessment of Student Learning
Name: Steve CanniciII. Description of Learning Goals
A. Informal Assessment
Students partook in a review session leading up to a test that would be given to them later that weekBy the end, students should be able to:
Are these objectives at a variety of cognitive levels? They seem to be at the "apply" level only.
B. Formal Assessment
The test that they took following the review session from earlier in the weekSame objectives as above
III. Assessments
A. Description of Informal Assessment
It was a Jeopardy! game that split the class into two teams. One member from a team would choose a category (four categories) and had a specific amount of time to answer the question. The time limit was established based on how long it took a student to use the flow chart. The idea was for them to be able to do it without the flow chart, so the time limit was short enough that if a student tried using the flowchart to construct the answer for a molecular formula or chemical name then the time would be up. As the questions increased in value, the difficulty of the questions also increased. If the question was not answered or answered incorrectly then the question would pass to the next participant from the other team. The question would keep on getting passed until someone got it right and scored the points for that team.
The flow chart can be found here:
B. Description of Formal Assessment
It was a 30 question test which included 10 questions from each of the three topics covered in the Jeopardy! game. It took them about half an hour to complete the test. They were not allowed to use their flow charts. Each question was worth one point and there was no partial credit given. The test was mainly short answer, it included few multiple choice questions. My reasoning for this is because most of our in class practice was of a short answer style. Now, is there any reason there for me to not use more multiple choice questions; no. But, there is reason there that tells me they should sufficiently be prepared to answer these questions in a short answer format. It was a unit test, so it weighed heavily on their grade. Since I am using a points based system, it was factored in as being worth 100 points. The score will be recorded and factored into the final grade.I thought the test went fairly well. It was clear that some students had gone home and started reviewing how to use the flow chart and were a little more prepared for the test that day. Corrections were made on the students tests so that they could see where they went wrong when formulating their compounds name or formula.
Student Work Samples
IV. Analysis
A. Description of Class Context
The class that these assessments derive from is a class called "Chemistry Enhancement" which is for low level students. There are 14 students; 12 girls and 2 boys, 3 with IEP's. The course focuses not so much on chemical concepts as it does the mathematical principles behind the chemistry. The course lasts only half of the year (one semester). The combination of this course and another course, which focuses on chemical concepts, can combine for 3 credits of college prep level chemistry. The primary reason students take this course is because they plan on applying to a 4 year school but need the chemistry to be able to do so. I selected this class' work because I feel that they have the largest range of learners. Some of the students try really hard in that class, yet they still can't grasp some of the concepts. Some are trying really hard and are doing well with the material. Others barely try at all, are easily acing it, and should probably be moved up to the next level. And, lastly, there are others that are barely trying and will most likely fail at the end of the semester. I feel that this mix of ability levels and desire to learn helps represent the two extreme sides of the spectrum that is composed of all learners potential and, therefore, should give me an excellent variety when analyzing the assessment data.
This test seems to focus on tasks that require little chemical knowledge beyond memorizing some rules. I don't understand the value of teaching chemistry concepts separated from these technical details if the technical topics are not going to be related to the concepts.
B. Analysis of Informal Assessment
This activity went really well for multiple reasons. The first is that it motivated the students. There was that level of competition that was involved which triggered that competitive fire inside of their stomachs. It wasn't so competitive that they wanted to kill each other at the end, but it certainly kept things interesting enough so that kids were trying to solve each answer to the best of their ability. Another reason that this activity went really well was that I got a real good sense of how well each student knew certain topics. They all got multiple chances to answer each type of question and, based on how long it took them to answer and how confident they seemed to do with it, I was able to tell if they had been doing their studying. Along with the fact that we had plenty of time in class to practice the material and each type of example, with and without the flow chart, and if they had trouble answering the problems, this tells me that they are most likely not putting in the time at home. Most of the students who do not try as hard in this class were the ones that could not get answers out in time.
Sometimes multiple passes were required for an individual question (students displayed a poor understanding of concept). If multiple passes are taking place then there is clearly something wrong. The question had been on the board for some time and kids had plenty of opportunity to use the flow chart to put together the name or the formula. If this happened a short "mini lesson" would be given to go over why the answer was what it was after the question was correctly answered. If they have all that time and still could not produce the correct answer than they are using their flow charts wrong. This would be a red flag for me as something to bring to the class' attention and take advantage of a teachable moment with one of these quick "mini lessons". This was done so that students could self assess and learn from others mistakes. It was used primarily as a reinforcer to the ideas that had not yet been set in concrete inside of their heads. They could use this to help determine what they still needed to work on and what they had to do to get there.
The student's had even less time to answer the questions about the periodic table. The periodic table is a much quicker tool than the flow chart and there are no directions written on the periodic table which describe how to use it. Knowing how to use the periodic table is simple memorization and pattern recognition. Therefore, not as much time should be needed to be able to decipher your answer with a quick glance at the table. Some students had a difficult time with using the periodic table as a tool and recognizing the patterns that exist within that tool. Therefore, most had problems remembering how to use it and what it can do for you. The periodic table is somewhat like the chemist's bible (depending on which type of chemist you talk to), so students should never be deprived of having that tool. They should have to memorize how to use it, but not be deprived of it. So the student's could use the periodic table hanging on the wall, but if they had not yet learned how to use it than it was pretty much worthless to them. Can't the trends in the periodic table be related to what students have previously learned in their conceptual chemistry course? Do you think memorizing periodic table facts motivates these (at risk) students to like chemistry?
The Jeopardy! game was a class long activity that all students participated in orally. I did not collect any individual students' work after this activity was completed. This activity was designed to benefit the students more than me as the teacher. I could tell when they were having difficulties with a certain type of problem and took advantage in the moment to show them exactly what was going wrong and how to fix it. The class can than hopefully take that information and use it as a self-assessment tool to help guide their studying for the test that was to follow in the next class period. As far as this tool being used for myself, I used it to design the following class meetings' test. I would make note of the ones they had more difficulty with and put only few types of them on the test (i.e. names with roman numerals). I also put very few of the ones that they had no problems with (i.e. NaCl or sodium chloride, table salt). I mostly put questions that were a medium difficulty so as to challenge them but not make them think that it is impossible. This helps out with the wide range of learners that are in the class, it assesses all levels of students. Unless you include a video or audio recording of game, then you should have chosen another assessment based on the assignment description.
C. Analysis of Formal Assessment
class average: 18.29range: 10-24
class median: 20 / 30 (??)
lower median: 15
upper median: 21
The four students whose work I have selected were strategically chosen based on the description given in the class context of types of ability levels matched up with desire to learn the material, one person from each type of pairing.
First is Ashley (24/30), she doesn't need to put forth a ton effort towards the class but she is easily holding an A for the year and had minimal problems with the test; she scored best in the class. Ashley's assessment shows that she is having trouble identifying when to use parenthesis and when not to use parenthesis. She also unnecessarily used roman numerals a few times and does not quite display that she know the meaning of the roman numeral. However, Ashley shows a complete understanding of how to name molecular compounds and how to correctly use the prefixes as she only got one question of that type wrong. She also knows how to name the ionic compounds and balance their charges to create the formula.
Next is April (22/30). April tries really hard and is able to hold a solid B/B+ in this course. Her work ethic gets her through and she is an honor roll student for her track level. Again, April seems to have problems identifying what the roman numeral is trying to tell her and, therefore, can not handle correctly naming some ionic compounds. And, just as Ashley did, she is having problems knowing when to use parenthesis and when not to use parenthesis. April had no problem naming and writing formulas for ionic compounds that did not contain a roman numeral. She seemed to struggle a bit with molecular compounds and usage of the prefixes.
Third is Areli (14/30). Areli is a very pleasant student to work with because she works like there's no tomorrow. She very much wants to succeed in this class and she shows it by asking many questions and by putting her mind to it. But, try as she might, Areli has problems grasping many of the concepts that are covered in the class. She clearly is not familiar with her polyatomic ion chart because many polyatomic ions went unrecognized with an incorrect name (they were allowed to use their polyatomic ion charts for this test). This also shows since she has zero use of parenthesis in the ionic compounds which require the use of such. Also, no attempt at all was made to use roman numerals in any that may have needed them. Areli was able to get the most basic examples that we went over in class about 100,000 times, but no application of any of the concepts learned was applied to any new or unfamiliar situations. If she had her flow chart with her it probably wouldn't have improved her grade too much since it seems she has no idea how to tell the difference between ionic and molecular compounds, which is essential to the use of the flow chart. She has trouble grasping many of the concepts we go over. So what do Areli's difficulties tell you about how you taught the concepts she did not demonstrate? If she's truly trying, why is her performance level so low?
Finally there is Shannon (10/30). Shannon does not put much effort into this class. She made no effort to use parentheses in the proper places and does not show any understanding of how to use the roman numerals. She is not familiar with her polyatomic ion chart and does not display that she can balance the charges of an ionic compound. However, she does seem to be able to grasp the concept of naming molecular compounds using the prefixes and identifying when she needs to use the prefixes. Shannon scored a perfect 40 out of 40 on her significant figures quiz the week following this assessment. She has proven to me that she can do well in this class with some effort. It is tough to get her motivated.
Breakdown of Scores by Seating
comparison of left room sitters to right room sitters:left room sitters
average: 20.57
range: 17-24
median: 20
upper median: 23
lower median: 18
right room sitters
average: 16.00
range: 10-21
median: 15
upper median: 21
lower median: 11
The room that this class takes place in has a very nice setup. All desks in the room two seater lab style desks. The desks are arranged in a U shape with the opening of the U facing the white board. There is a divide right in the middle, or the bottom of the U, which separates the right side from the left side. Inside of the U are four two seater lab benches facing the front. There are 7 students that sit on the left side vs. 7 students who sit on the right side. It is clear that students who sit on the left side of the room are higher achieving than those sitting on the right side of the room. I suspect there could be several reasons for this divide. The students who sit on the left side of the room are the triers. They support each other, they believe in themselves, and they reap the benefits. The students who sit on the right side of the room are the total polar opposites. They don't believe in themselves over on the right side of the room. They have created a support group for themselves, just as the left side has, but their support group confirms for each other that they can not succeed, so they do not try. I plan on creating a union of the two groups, by sitting left roomers and right roomers in every other seat. But, it is a double edged sword. By separating the left roomers from each other, in an attempt to divide the right roomers and disrupt their supports, I could disturb the strong support system that they have with each other and actually end up bringing them down. To resolve this problem, I propose a two by two seating. What I mean by that is two people from the left side get to remain together, then next to them will be two people from the right side, followed by two more from the left, and so on. This will allow each student to be next to a right roomer and a left roomer (excluding the students sitting on the ends). Hopefully, the right roomers will be able to take advantage of being next to a left roomer, and the left roomers will still be able to be next to somebody that they work well with.
As their teacher, you should focus on how to help everyone learn. You analysis indicates that you've thought about what is happening in class and why. By allowing the "triers" to sit together all the time you are tacitly allowing the class to separate into ability groups. You should act based on your judgement of how you want your learning environment to be.
V. Commentary / Reflection
A. Reflections from Informal Assessment
I was extremely pleased with the way that the informal assessment shaped out. I felt that students, for the most part, had a good grasp on the concepts. As noted earlier, if students took multiple passes to answer a particular type of question, I would attempt to take advantage of those "teachable moments". It was no coincidence that this happened multiple times on the same two types of questions, roman numerals and using parenthesis. This tells me that modifications need to be made to my method of instruction, or that the information I am communicating to them should be reviewed and possibly expanded upon. After the class and I completed this review, the students went home and should have spent extra time on the problems that took many passes. For the next time, I could mention to them that they should spend more time on x, y, and z because we had a lot of problems with it in the class. They came in the next class and took the test; next time I do this activity, I will do it several classes in advance so we can spend extra time practicing the types of problems that they struggled with.B. Reflections from Formal Assessment
I would absolutely take the opportunity to re-do that test if I could. There are multiple things I know I would change. First of all, I would create a wider array of questions. The test was mostly short answer which pushed their mental capabilities to the edge. I would absolutely add many more multiple choice questions to the test for multiple reasons. First, it would give the students options and possibly trigger a memory in their mind which they could apply to other questions such as the short answer. Also, it would save me much more time because grading multiple choice is fast and efficient. On top of that, I would also make the test longer. It took me so long to create that test and in the end it took them only about half an hour to take it. The period was 85 minutes long and I had nothing else planned to do with them. I realize now how long it can take to plan, tweak, and completely assess the students with a fully loaded assessment.I would think that creating a multiple choice version of this test would take a long time because you would have to create convincing distractors.
VI. Conclusions
I have learned that assessment is the key tool that teachers must know and master to have any chance at determining if their teaching is effective or not. Without proper assessments the teacher has no way of knowing what has been effective, what the students know, and what misconceptions may still be floating around out in the classroom. In my opinion, assessment processes should be broken down into parts. First, the informal assessment to obtain a "preliminary" idea of what concepts have been correctly delivered and what still needs to be worked on. Next, a restructuring or new method must be taken to solidify misconceptions or ideas that have not yet taken shape for the students, determined from the informal assessment. Finally, the formal assessment is given, when the teacher knows that the class is ready. These are invaluable tools that any good teacher will use frequently and to the best of his/her ability. Solid assessments along with strong modifications or adjustments to lesson plans based off of those assessments are a keystone in developing good curriculums and great lesson plans that students will learn from and be engaged in.